Boat



P. A. LEA

Jan. 4, 1944.

BOAT

2 SheeJcS-Sheefl l Filed Jan. 13, 1942 Zmventor NN 4 i@ s wv lq m m p jfw {-l .NNUU MN H WN ,Q

PETER A. LEA

7mm/1% im (Ittorneg Jan. 4, 1944.

P. A. LEA

BoT

. Filed Jan. 13, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 :inventor PETER A. LEA

Gttorneg Patented Jan. 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOAT Peter A. Lea, New Orleans, La., assignor of one-ninth to George V. Demarest claims.

This invention relates to boats. An object of the invention is the provision of a boat in which a plurality of propellers together with casings and bearing shafts for the propellers vare removably mounted in housings -which extend upwardly within the boat to a point which is above the water level so that when necessary or desired the propeller together with its casing and shaft may be removed and repaired without necessitating the placing of the boat in-a dock.

v Another object of the invention is the provision of a boat which has a plurality of openings in the bottom thereof with a keel extending longitudinally from the bottom of the boat with removably mounted propellers and shafting projecting through the openings and extending into power tubes supported at each side of the keel with housings projecting upwardly from the openings within the boat and above the water level so that the propellers and shafting may be removed when desired and replaced with a closure carried by the shafting and supporting casing which is adapted to ybe removably secured to the bottom of the housingv for closing the openings.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a boat having a plurality of openings in the bottom with power ytubes located at spaced intervals along the bottom of the boat in which propellers are operated and from which the propellers, the operating shafts for the propellers and casings which carry bearings for the shaft may be readily withdrawn -through housings which extend upwardly from the bottom of the boat, located within the boat and terminate at a point above the bottom which is above the water level so that any of the propellers and.` shafting may be withdrawn from the housing without disturbing the operation of the boat, said propellers and power tubes being located at various horizontal levels along a longitudinal keel which projects downwardly from the bottom of the boat. i

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not conned to the disclosure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

lIn the drawings: v

-Figure 1 is a longitudinal side view of a boat constructed according to the principles of my'invention.

Figure 2,is a plan view of the same. v

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section, partly in elevation showing one of the propulsion units. i

Figure, 4 is a front end view of the boat.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a removable unit which includes a propeller vand, operating shaft for the propeller.

Referring more particularly to the drawing I0 designates a hull having a flat bottom II withV inclined sidewalls I2 and I3. The front of the boat as shown at I4, is inclined upwardly to a deck portion I5 which is horizontallyl disposed at the bow of the boat. w -f The bow of the boat above the deck portion I5 as shown at I6, is curved rearwardly and is cutter-shaped to facilitate the forward movement of the boat. The portion I6 blends into the inclined side walls I2 and I3 of the hull.

A keel-generally designated by the numeral 20, is secured lto the bottom of the boat and extends downwardly along the longitudinal center line of vthevbottom for substantially the full length of the boat. The forward portion of the keel as shown at 2| is inclined upwardly and is connected to the inclined portion I4 of the bottom of the boat at the bow. One portion of the keel isprovided with an opening 22 for a purpose which will be presently explained. This opening is located midway of the length of the keel.

As shown more particularly in'Fig. 3, the bottom II; of the boat is provided with aplurality'of openings 25. A housing 26 extends upwardly from the bottom and has a flanged portion 21 secured at 28 to the bottom in embracing relation with the opening 25 so that if the opening 25 .where not closed the water would extend upwardly into the housing to a point indicated by the water level 29. The upper end of the housing 26 as shown at 30 is open and this open end extends above the water level.

A pair of power tubes 3| and 32 are vsecured by means of brackets 33 to the .side walls' of the keel 20. These tubes may have a reinforced support extending downwardly from the bottom of the boat if desired. These tubes extendfrom' a point adjacent the bow of the boat an'dterminate rearwardly some distance from the transverse center of the hull as vshownat 34.'

Each of these tubes are provided with a pluralityl of openings 36 and these openings are alined with the openings 25.

'A propeller 31 is located in each tube 3| and 32 in line with the openings 36 therein. These propellers are supported by a shaft 38 which is mounted in a journal 39 carried at the lower end of a casing 40 which extends downwardly through the openings 36 and carries a curved cover plate 40a which rests upon the upper end of the tube in closing relation with the opening 36.

Each casing 4|] has a cover 44| rigidly secured thereto at its upper end and this cover is bolted as shown at 42 to the annular flange 21 at the lower end of the housing 26 for sealing the bottom of the housing against the admission of water when the propeller and the casing 40 is in an operative position within its respective tube 3| and 32. A boss 43 extends upwardly from the cover 4| and has bearings therein Vfora shaft 44 which is operatively connected at i-ts lowery end with the shaft 38. The shaft extends, upwardly and projects slightly beyond the upper end 30 of each housing 26.

A separate means is provided for operating each shaft 44 although asingle shaft which is operated by a 'motor may have operative connections with the plurality of shafts 44 projecting above the housings 26 within the boat. However, a motor generally designated bythe numeral 45 is shown as a tandem type which operates a crank shaft 46 carried by a crank case 41. The crank case is connected by means of brackets 48 with a spider generally designated by the numeral 49 which has a plurality of arms |!y extending over the upper peripheryofthe housing 26 with flanges 5| extending downwardly from the outer end of the arms and engaging the outer wall of the housing 26. This spider may bes'ecured in any approved manner tothe-upper end of the housing. Projecting downwardly from they crank case isa bearing 52 in which is journaleda connecting socket 53 for receiving the squared endt 54 of the upper end of the shaft 44. It will beseen b y.tlf1isv construction that when the motor 45 is placed: on top of a. housing 26 the squared end 4.4:1 will be received by the socket 53 sothat when, themotor is operated the shaft 44 will be revolved- It will be noted from this construction that i-xrA each of the housings 26 shown in Figs. 1v and 2;v is located aremovable. unit which includes the propeller 31., the casing 40, thecover 4-|= and shaft 44, so that when the bolts 42 are removed this unit may berwithdrawn from the tubes 3| or 32 and from the housing 26 after theimotor audits supportsY have been removed from the upper; end 36 of said housing. The cover plate 4,011, which is formed. integrally with the-casing 4,0 is, likewise removed through the opening. However it will be necessary to turn they shaft 4.4 so that the bladesy of the propeller 31 will bein-.vertical alinement with the shaft 44, whereby:V the propeller may be readily withdrawn through the openings 36` and 25.

TheA housings 55. shown in Figs. l andi2 also contain all of the elements shown in Fig.V 3fand thereforethe same reference numerals are'v appliedto the various parts forming the removable units.v However, the shaft 44 and casingsf- 40 have been shortened in view of the fact that the tubes56 and 56a which house the propellers 31a are secured to the bottom I of the boatand on each side of the keel adjacent the elongated opening 22 in said keel.

A third group of housings 51 are disposedv adjacent therear of the boat and at opposite sides housing 26, 55 or 51 after the bolts 42 have been Y loosened or removed. If itis possible to repair the injured propeller or its connections in a boat this may be done and then reinserted in position. If it is not possible however to repair the injured part the boat will be driven by the numerous other propellers which are operating in their Vpower tubes 3|, 56 and 58 so that the boat may be propelled through the water without requiring dry-docking of the boat for repairs.j

In view of the fact that all of the housings 26, 55 and 51 extend` above.: the water level, water will not ente-rl the boat.V Furthermore, capsmay be employed which can be placed over the top ofA the housingsI Whenthe boat is being propelled throughrthe water' and-when one of the units has been removed' inorder toprevent any water from entering the boat throughvthe openings 25 and theupper ends of; the housings.

An elongatedv opening 59-l isA formed inthe keel 20 adjacent the propellers 31h and their enclos# ing power tubes 58f to provide for the free flow of water at this point.

A cutter shell'- 60 enclose's the power tubes 3| and 32 and? also the'adiacentportion of the keel in order toaidirr guiding theA water directly throughv said'- Vpower tubes.

In the drawingsl (Figs. I and. 2) only one of the motors generally designated by the numeral 45' isZ shown but a' separate motor as illustrated in Fig. 3` is= attachedl toeach of the vertical shafts'.

l. A- boat comprisingahull', the-bottom there; of having a plurality of openings, a housing surrounding each opening, sealed to the bottom and rising therefrom to 'a1-point' above the water level, a vertical lshaft i'rreacli housing, a cover removably securedl to the bottom ofl each' housingY and provided with bearings for'the shaft, a casing depending-- fromy the cover, thel shaft projecting belovv-v the lower end-v ofi the casing, a propeller operatively connected? to thef shaft beyond the lower end ofthelc'as-i'ng', and ay tube provided with a pluralityofopenings'A through which the pro'- pellers areinsertedfor" operation in said tube, the tuba extending longitudinally of and connected'to the'bottomof the boat, each casing and associated: cover, shaft andi propeller being re'- movableupwardly asia1 unit from the boat.

2; A. boatl; comprising ahull, the bottom there'- ofhaving an: opening.. ai housing sealed toI the bottom inline with the:v opening. and extending upwardly to a point above th'e water level, a cas'u ing'projecting` through tl'i'e lowerend of the housing and having' an cover removably secured to said' end,` said casingy being secured tothe cover, a shaft havingv` bearingsdniv the casing andv proj ectingzupwardlyithrough-the housing and ydownwardly'belowrthe lowerfend'jof vthe casing, a proe peller at the-lower endofTsaidshaft, means op'-A erativel'yconnecting:the-propeller to the shaft, a

tube carried`- longitudinally from the bottom ofv the boat and provided with anopening through which:` the propeller is..i`rrse1'.|;`ed'` sof that the propeller will operate in the tube, and means for rotating the shaft at the upper end of th'e housing, said shaft, cover, propeller and casing being removable upwardly as a unit from the housing.

3. A boat comprising a hull, the bottom thereof having an opening, a housing sealed to the bottom in line with the opening and extending upwardly to a point above the water level, a casing projecting through the lower end of the housing and having a cover removably secured to said end, a sh'aft having bearings in the casing and projecting upwardly through the housing and downwardly below the lower end of the casing, a propeller at the lower end of said shaft, means operatively connecting the propeller to the shaft, a tube carried longitudinally from th'e bottom of the boat and provided with an opening through which the propeller is inserted so that the propeller will operate in the tube, a closure plate for said opening secured to the casing, and means for rotating th'e shaft at the upper end of the housing, said shaft, cover, closure plate, propeller and casing being removable upwardly as a unit from the housing.

4. A boat comprising a hull, a keel running lengthwise of the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, the bottom having a plurality of openings at opposite sides of th'e keel, a housing embracing each opening, sealed to the bottom and extending upwardly in the boat to a point which is above the water level, a casing projecting downwardly from each housing and having a closed top removably secured to the bottom of said h'ousing, a longitudinally disposed tube secured to each side of the keel and provided with passages in vertical alinement with the openings to receive the lower ends of the downwardly projecting casings, a vertically-disposed shaft in each casing and having bearings in said casings, a propeller adjacent th'e lower end of each shaft and having operative connections therewith, said propellers being located within the tubes and means at the upper ends of the shafts for causing rotation thereof, said casing, shafts and propellers being removable upwardly as units from the boat.

5. A boat comprising a hull, a keel running lengthwise of the bottom thereof and extending downwardly therefrom, the bottom having a plurality of openings at opposite sides of the keel, a housing embracing each opening, sealed to the bottom and extending upwardly in the boat to a point which is above the water level, a Acasing projecting downwardly from each housing and having a closed top removably secured to the bottom of said housing, a longitudinally disposed tube secured to each' side of the keel and provided with passages in vertical alinement with the openings to receive the lower ends of the downwardly projecting casings, a vertically disposed shaft in each casing and having bearings in said casings, a propeller adjacent the lower end of each shaft and h'aving operative connections therewith, a cover plate connected to each casing for closing the passages in the tubes, said casings, cover plates, shafts and propellers being removable upwardly as a unit from the respective housings, said propellers being located within the tubes and means at the upper ends of the shafts for causing rotation thereof.

PETER. A. LEA. 

